Amends (English)
by Fulmination
Summary: Two years have passed since the end of the war and Hama is still in prison because of the events in The Puppetmaster. Katara visits her to find out if there is anything of her left to save. Oneshot! T for dark themes.


**Hey there! Finally uploading after all this time. Curious fact – I wrote this in one go on my phone while waiting for 5 hours straight at a remote car service. It turns out boredom can be quite a motivator for creativity. Anyway, enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own any of the original sources this fiction is based upon.**

 **Amends**

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Aang asked.

"Yes, it's something I need to do." Katara responded and her boyfriend nodded understandingly.

"Ok. I'll wait here, call me if there is anything." The girl gave him a quick kiss and smiled reassuringly, before going through the iron door next to them.

Once inside the Fire Nation prison, she felt a shiver run down her spine. Now that the war had been over for a while, the conditions inside the prisons, as well as the treatment towards the prisoners had improved significantly. Despite that, as a waterbender she couldn't help but feel very uncomfortable in this particular facility, which had been created to subject her own people. At least the place was mostly deserted now, since the few remaining captive waterbenders had been released at the end of the war. No one could bring back the hundreds who had perished here during the last hundred years though, Katara thought sadly. She was lucky enough to have been born later in time and thus avoid such a cruel fate, but she was an exception. Now she was here to see someone who had neither had her luck, nor had been released at the end of the war, due to being deemed too dangerous to walk free.

Katara walked through the prison, throwing nervous glances at the numerous now empty cages, which still held the spirit of suffering and slow death. She tried to chase away the dark, depressing thoughts entering her mind. She couldn't bring back the past, nor allow herself to descend into vengeful impulses, because she had seen firsthand where revenge led and knew she was above it. That was the reason for her coming here.

She reached a chamber in the deeper part of the prison, where two guards stood on duty. They bowed when they saw her and she motioned with her hand to signal that they could act freely.

"Thank you. You can take a break, I will let you know when we're finished."

"Yes, my lady. Do be careful though, she has made attempts to escape already." One of the guards warned while unlocking the door for Katara.

"Don't worry, I know her." The girl said, walking in and shutting the door behind her.

"Of course you do, Katara. After all, you put me here, did you not?" an old woman's voice came from the dark and Hama got up from her bed with a menacing smile.

"You look good, I'm glad they are feeding you well." Katara remarked, ignoring the rhetorical question.

"Don't try to condescend me, little one. I am locked like a rat in a cage. Left here to rot again, by the one I entrusted with my legacy. How does it feel to know that the killers of your tribe walk unpunished while you sentence an old woman to die in darkness, Katara, Traitor of the South?"

The younger waterbender sighed. This was going exactly as she had expected.

"The people responsible for what happened to us have been brought to justice. The ones you are referring to, those who walk outside, they did not cause the war. They are helping us rebuild and lead the world to a better future. And the darkness is only inside you, but I don't intend to let you die with it."

Hama snickered. "Still naïve as ever. Should I be moved that you have come to visit me after two years?"

"I would have come sooner, but we've had a lot to do since the end of the war. Also, it wasn't easy to arrange everything and convince the others to give you another chance." Katara looked away with some hesitance. Truthfully, a part of the reason was also that she had dreaded this encounter, but that didn't need to be said. The old waterbender probably guessed it anyway. However, instead of touching upon that, she looked at the girl inquisitively.

"To give me a chance? What do you mean?"

"I'm here to release you. You don't deserve to stay here for the rest of your life, you are right about that. You've done terrible things, but you've suffered just as much. I believe you can finally make peace and come back home." Katara smiled, but the older woman stayed quiet.

After a few seconds, she burst in ironic laughter. "So you have come to free me, how kind of you! And you have hope that your mercy will make me regret and apologize for what I've done? Katara, you are not here for me. I think you have come here for your own peace of mind. To ease your own regret."

Katara was in disbelief. "What? I'm offering you a chance to…"

"Did you look around on your way here?" Hama shouted, interrupting her. "The empty cages wreaking of death and the dried off blood from when they used to beat us all those years ago? They are still there! Those monsters took us from our home and made me watch as my brothers and sisters died one by one when they could no longer endure it. Only I got out of here. I have been carrying those memories all my life and you dare to offer that I live like a content citizen in peace with them? The only chance you can offer me is to get out of here and do upon them as they did upon us!"

Katara felt her eyes water, but she didn't break down. "No, this is exactly what leads to more violence and bloodshed. What has happened to you and our people is terrible, but we can't bring back the past. We can't allow tragedy to shape us, we need to learn from it."

"You are still too young and idealistic. You would think differently if you had seen what I have."

"I have seen how Aang denied violence and saved the world, despite all of his people being dead. One of my best friends was scarred and disowned by his father just for disagreeing with him, yet he became a good and honorable person. My mother was killed in a Fire Nation raid, but two years ago I looked at her killer in the eyes and I spared his life."

"So your answer is to do nothing?"

"No, this is not doing nothing. It's easy to do nothing, but it's hard to forgive. You aren't the only one who's suffered, Hama."

The older woman was looking at her doubtfully, but seemed calmer now that she had let her emotions out. Katara reached into her pocket and took out a blue Water Tribe comb, the same one Hama had shown her a while ago.

"I went back to the inn and got this after they took you away. I've had it with me ever since, but it's yours, so you should have it back."

Hama took it and kept it in her fingers for a while, without saying anything. Katara heard the guards approach outside and turned to leave. She had said all that needed to be said and now it was time to leave the old woman alone to think for a while.

She turned before going out the door. "I'll be back tomorrow, I hope you can give me your answer then." Hama simply nodded and the girl left.

"Everything alright, lady Katara?" one of the guards asked.

"Yes, I think it is." She smiled. She had a good feeling about this.

Both of the guards smiled politely as well and stepped aside for her to pass.

Back in her chamber, Hama left the comb on her bedside and lied down again. She looked at it for a while, a few tears appearing in her eyes. She quickly wiped them. She could and would not so easily let go of her desire for vengeance, but she knew that her time on earth was becoming less and her wishes rather unrealistic now. She had nothing to lose anymore, she could as well trust the girl.

"Very well, Katara. Let us try your way." Hama whispered, then turned around and soon fell asleep.

 **It seemed fitting that Katara and Hama would have another encounter to make amends (at least on Katara's part). Come to think of it, it's surprising it hasn't happened yet, neither in the series, nor the novels, but this is one way I can imagine it. I will try to make the translations soon, so if anyone wants to be a beta for the other language versions (especially the Dutch one), send me a message, I would appreciate it!**


End file.
